PANAH, Iqra University push healthy diet warning labels in youth session
A fruit and vegetable seller at his stall (file photo).
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) and Iqra University brought students together on Friday for a youth engagement session on unhealthy diets, ultra-processed products and the case for healthy diet warning labels on packaged food. The session, held at Iqra University’s G-9 Campus, urged young people to push for clear front-of-pack warnings.
PANAH General Secretary Sana Ullah Ghumman told the session that non-communicable diseases — cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity among them — account for roughly 60 per cent of deaths in Pakistan. Heavy consumption of ultra-processed foods loaded with sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, he said, is a major driver of that burden.
**A clear label means a clearer choice**
Speakers argued that a prominent warning on the front of a packet would let ordinary families judge a product in seconds, without having to decode a nutrition table. Ghumman pointed to Chile and Mexico, where such labels are mandatory, and urged the government to make them compulsory in Pakistan as well.
**Students took part, not just listened**
PANAH Executive Member Abdul Hafeez, Youth Club Patron Maria Mir and Co-Patron Usman Khan also addressed the students, who took part through presentations, a quiz and discussions. They were encouraged to become ambassadors for change through social media and university platforms. A PANAH Youth Club membership and awareness desk set up in the university lobby drew considerable interest, with many students signing up on the spot.
**A long-running demand**
The call is not new: PANAH has previously urged black octagonal warnings in Urdu on products exceeding World Health Organization thresholds for sugar, sodium and saturated fats. Organisers say sessions like this one aim to turn students into health advocates who press for healthier food environments and effective labelling policy.
The initiative was coordinated by Jameel, PANAH Youth Club Ambassador at Iqra University, and his team.
